Tip of the Day-- Library Reference Question Edition!: If you are a picture book writer, consider writing a funny one that involves a ukulele. There is a shortage in that area.
The hyper writer in me refreshes her email about 1,329 times a day. On average. Which you most likely know from my previous posts on this topic and your own writerly tendencies to obsess.
Which just proves how much it is on my mind.
And THEN the moment arrives.
An email.
From my agent.
FINALLY!
(Though it's really only been a couple days since I last heard from her, but author time, like publishing industry time, is on its own space-time-continuum-quantum-leap.)
The hyper writer in me refreshes her email about 1,329 times a day. On average. Which you most likely know from my previous posts on this topic and your own writerly tendencies to obsess.
Which just proves how much it is on my mind.
And THEN the moment arrives.
An email.
From my agent.
FINALLY!
(Though it's really only been a couple days since I last heard from her, but author time, like publishing industry time, is on its own space-time-continuum-quantum-leap.)
(And, OK, I haven't actually ever seen Quantum Leap, but I do admit to having watched pretty much every Star Trek: The Next Generation ever made. I blame my Chem PhD brother for that.)
So, the email is here and what do I do?
1) Open the email as fast as possible and devour every agently word?
2) Forward the email to my CPs before even reading it myself bc I'll tell them what the latest on my subs are anyway?
3) Print it so I have a hard copy of the NYC happenings in my hot little hand that I can draw hearts on?
No.
That's right, you heard me. No. None of those.
What I do is....
CLOSE OUT OF MY EMAIL!
That's right, you heard me, people. (Oh dear, if this doesn't solidify my craziness with you, dear readers, nothing will. And Chris, if you are reading this, I swear it's nothing personal!) I see the email and start to shake. Sure, I'm using The Secret and visualizing/expecting AMAZING THINGS for my novel and from the editors, but I'm still SCARED to open the email! I have to mentally prep myself for the possibility that someone doesn't want my book, or that agent-editor lunch plans fell through, or that my agent read my latest revision and has some revision suggestions, or that someone even loves my book. Even the GOOD possibilities and suggestions require mental preparation!
No, I'm not emotionally invested in this business at all. Thanks for asking.
So I take some deep breaths, think about the email, stop thinking about the email, then some time later -- could be minutes or half-hours -- I open the email.
And I'm OK. No matter what it says. I can handle it.
So I file the email away, go back about my daily business, and...
return to refreshing my email every ten minutes.
Am I the only email hypocrit writer?
Deena, Miss Recently Repped
So, the email is here and what do I do?
1) Open the email as fast as possible and devour every agently word?
2) Forward the email to my CPs before even reading it myself bc I'll tell them what the latest on my subs are anyway?
3) Print it so I have a hard copy of the NYC happenings in my hot little hand that I can draw hearts on?
No.
That's right, you heard me. No. None of those.
What I do is....
CLOSE OUT OF MY EMAIL!
That's right, you heard me, people. (Oh dear, if this doesn't solidify my craziness with you, dear readers, nothing will. And Chris, if you are reading this, I swear it's nothing personal!) I see the email and start to shake. Sure, I'm using The Secret and visualizing/expecting AMAZING THINGS for my novel and from the editors, but I'm still SCARED to open the email! I have to mentally prep myself for the possibility that someone doesn't want my book, or that agent-editor lunch plans fell through, or that my agent read my latest revision and has some revision suggestions, or that someone even loves my book. Even the GOOD possibilities and suggestions require mental preparation!
No, I'm not emotionally invested in this business at all. Thanks for asking.
So I take some deep breaths, think about the email, stop thinking about the email, then some time later -- could be minutes or half-hours -- I open the email.
And I'm OK. No matter what it says. I can handle it.
So I file the email away, go back about my daily business, and...
return to refreshing my email every ten minutes.
Am I the only email hypocrit writer?
Deena, Miss Recently Repped
7 comments:
I use Incredimail and it checks my email for me every 3 minutes. When I hear my little mail checking puppy bark and tell me I've got mail--I MUST check it. It's a sickness.
My mail program is set to check my mail every 5 minutes (I think), so when I'm online, my mail is always on the ready. Today I got an email from my latest agent queried--just to say she could not open the attachment (requested). Yikes!!! So I quickly send 2 more formats.
But I sweat and shake a little when that email pops up...can I open it? Do I need a stiff drink first? I think the next time I'll opt for the stiff drink...haven't tried it yet, and maybe that will change my stars!
No, I'm the same. I sit there and refresh, refresh, refresh. Then when a new email comes, I get really scared. I look away, then slowly read the little amount showing in gmail and try to determine if it's good or bad. Then I open it after waiting for a second (I can't wait minutes, I'm way too impatient for that).
I'm so glad I'm not alone, but Jessica, I wish I were as gung-ho and unscared as you! :)
hahahha...
all that and you're not going to tell us what it said? talk about a major build-up with no release. :) LOL
just teasing
I'm the same with e-mail. Refresh, refresh, refresh. Now my cell phone? I don't like it. I'll answer my voice mail like once a week. I'm so bad with it.
If I know something is coming and I'm nervous, like line edits, I'll put it away and take a day to open it. Like, I have to prepare myself so I don't freak out.
I don't know if you can blame Star Trek on your brother, he was younger than we were when TNG was on the air! You and your sister could easily have outvoted him.
The episode in that picture you posted is fantastic, though. Do you see the smiley face in the steam? They've frozen time, but Picard is starting to go mental because his system is having trouble with the frozen time. He drew the smiley in a matter/antimatter leak and then collapsed in a fit of giggles.
(Hm, maybe I'm to blame for your Star Trek exposure!)
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